Christy Brothers and Company Limited
| Company type | Private company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Electrical engineering, Electric power supply |
| Founded | 1883 |
| Founder | Frank Christy |
| Headquarters | Chelmsford , United Kingdom |
| Products | Electrical equipment, electricity supply services |
Christy Brothers and Company Limited was a British electrical engineering enterprise that delivered equipment, personnel, and management services to various electricity providers in Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, and Suffolk.
Background
Established in 1883 by Frank Christy as an electrical engineering and contracting firm, Christy Brothers began distributing electric lighting to towns and rural areas around the turn of the 20th century. The company gained controlling stakes in eight different electric power enterprises.
The affiliated companies comprised:
- North Somerset Electric Supply Company Limited, initially known as Clevedon and District Electric Supply Company Limited (founded in 1911), later renamed Clevedon, Portishead and District Electric Supply Company Limited.
- West Devon Electric Supply Company Limited, incorporated in 1931 to unify smaller electricity providers in West Devon; shares valued at £250,000 were issued in 1933.
- Culm Valley Electric Supply Company Limited (Devon).
- Bude Electric Supply Company Limited, created in 1907 to manage electricity distribution in Bude, Cornwall.
- Burnham and District Electric Supply Company Limited, registered in 1913 to serve the Burnham area of Somerset.
- Aldeburgh Electric Supply Company Limited, founded in 1911 to oversee electricity supply in Aldeburgh, Suffolk.
- Holsworthy Gas and Electric Supply Company Limited, established in 1910 to replace the Holsworthy Gas company and administer electricity distribution in Holsworthy, Devon.
- Mid Somerset Electric Supply Company Limited
Operations
The installed generating capacity of each company's facilities as of 1937 was detailed as follows:
| Company | Installed Capacity (kW) |
|---|---|
| North Somerset | None |
| West Devon | 3 × 225 kW water turbines, 2 × 500 kW oil engines, 3 × 650 kW water turbines, 2 × 350 kW water turbines, 1 × 75 kW oil engine, 1 × 100 kW oil engine |
| Culm Valley | 1 × 12 kW water turbine, 1 × 18 kW water turbine |
| Bude | 1 × 170 kW oil engine, 2 × 150 kW oil engines |
| Burnham | None |
| Aldeburgh | 2 × 100 kW oil engines |
| Holsworthy | None |
| Mid Somerset | None |
(Note: facilities powered by oil engines and water turbines)
Key operational data for these companies during 1937 included electricity generated, purchased, sold (in megawatt-hours), connected load (kW), and customer counts:
| Company | Generated (MWh) | Purchased (MWh) | Sold (MWh) | Connected Load (kW) | Consumers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Somerset | 0 | 34,207 | 29,586 | 20,835 | |
| West Devon | 5,305 | 132 | 4,625 | 10,778 | 4,801 |
| Culm Valley | 175 | 1,481 | 1,403 | 3,108 | 1,967 |
| Bude | 132 | 919 | 858 | 2,863 | 1,358 |
| Burnham | 0 | 1,197 | 1,043 | 1,236 | |
| Aldeburgh | 200 | 308 | 348 | 1,486 | 615 |
| Holsworthy | 0 | 237 | 227 | 900 | 308 |
| Mid Somerset | 0 | 797 | 713 | 1,125 |
By the year 1947, several regions experienced significant growth in both electricity production and sales:
| Company | Generated (MWh) | Purchased (MWh) | Sold (MWh) | Connected Load (kW) | Consumers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Somerset | 0 | 109,554 | 96,563 | 31,459 | 30,962 |
| West Devon | 9,720 | 7,025 | 13,991 | 5,190 | 7,782 |
| Culm Valley | 172 | 8,437 | 7,906 | 2,616 | 3,015 |
| Bude | 91 | 2,008 | 1,915 | 800 | 1,745 |
| Burnham | 0 | 1,918 | 1,797 | 1,445 | |
| Aldeburgh | 62 | 878 | 809 | 367 | 704 |
| Holsworthy | 0 | 809 | 777 | 350 | 479 |
| Mid Somerset | 0 | 3,155 | 2,952 | 1,336 |
Finances
Between 1926 and 1932, Christy Brothers experienced a consistent upward trend in both revenue and earnings:
| Year !Turnover (£) !Profit (£) |
|---|
To facilitate growth efforts, in March 1933 Christy Brothers floated shares worth £225,000 on the Stock Exchange.
Directors
The board of directors in 1933 included:
- Frank Christy (chairman and joint managing director)
- Leonard Fell Christy (joint managing director)
- Charles Ernest Smith (director since 1913)
- Henry Joseph Aylott (director since 1924)
- Geoffrey Christy (appointed in 1933)
The company’s official registered office was located at 171 Broomfield Road, Chelmsford, Essex.
Abolition
On 31 March 1948, Christy Brothers and Company Limited, along with its affiliated entities, ceased to exist as a result of the British Electricity Industry’s nationalisation. Ownership of power generation facilities and transmission networks was transferred to the British Electricity Authority, while distribution assets were allocated to regional electricity boards such as the Eastern Electricity Board and Southern Electricity Board.
As one of five principal electricity providers operating over extensive areas, Christy Brothers’ holdings were apportioned among several area electricity boards. The five companies involved were:
- British Power and Light Corporation
- Christy Brothers and Company Limited
- Edmundsons Electricity Corporation
- Electrical Finance and Securities Company Limited
- Midland Counties Electric Supply Company Limited (refer to Midland Electric Light and Power Company Limited)